]]>https://garykanter.com/2016/08/01/the-honeymooners-redux/feed/0garykanterMarch Against Monsanto 2016https://garykanter.com/2016/05/12/march-against-monsanto-2016/
https://garykanter.com/2016/05/12/march-against-monsanto-2016/#respondThu, 12 May 2016 18:35:32 +0000http://garykanter.com/?p=1136]]>So glad to have been invited back to play at the “March Against Monsanto” for the third consecutive year. As usual, the event will be anchored at Westlake Mall, Sat., May 21, noon, Westlake Park in Seattle.

]]>https://garykanter.com/2016/05/12/march-against-monsanto-2016/feed/0garykanterBreakFreePNWhttps://garykanter.com/2016/05/12/breakfreepnw/
https://garykanter.com/2016/05/12/breakfreepnw/#respondThu, 12 May 2016 18:24:42 +0000http://garykanter.com/?p=1125]]>Excited to have been invited to perform at the 2016 BreakFreePNW opening ceremonies, “People’s Climate Conference”, May 13 at the Anacortes Transit Shed. I will be on at 9:30 pm, following Dana Lyons, something nobody really should do.

]]>https://garykanter.com/2016/05/12/breakfreepnw/feed/0garykanterResolution in Support of Farmworkershttps://garykanter.com/2016/05/12/resolution-in-support-of-farmworkers/
https://garykanter.com/2016/05/12/resolution-in-support-of-farmworkers/#respondThu, 12 May 2016 18:17:30 +0000http://garykanter.com/?p=1114]]>My resolution in support of our state’s farmworkers and the boycott of Sakuma/Driscoll’s Berries, was overwhelmingly passed at the Island County/10th LD Convention and submitted for consideration at the Washington State Democratic Convention, June 17-19, Tacoma.

]]>https://garykanter.com/2016/05/12/resolution-in-support-of-farmworkers/feed/0garykanterDem ResolutionDemocracy Now!https://garykanter.com/2016/05/12/democracy-now/
https://garykanter.com/2016/05/12/democracy-now/#respondThu, 12 May 2016 18:08:37 +0000http://garykanter.com/?p=1101]]>Familias Unidas Por La Justicia (FUJ) and its supporters participated in an International Day of Action to raise awareness of the worker exploitation of Driscoll and Sakuma Berries.

Our action at Costco in Burlington, WA was covered by a film crew from Democracy Now! (TV).

]]>https://garykanter.com/2016/05/12/democracy-now/feed/0garykanterOn The Raddio…One More Timehttps://garykanter.com/2016/05/12/on-the-raddio-one-more-time/
https://garykanter.com/2016/05/12/on-the-raddio-one-more-time/#respondThu, 12 May 2016 18:00:48 +0000http://garykanter.com/?p=1093]]>Thanks to Charles Showalter for inviting me back to The Union Edge to talk about “Ballad of Sakuma Farms”…it’s origin and union funding.

April 9th will be the 40th anniversary of the death of arguably the most prolific and inspirational folksinger of the 60’s-70’s. Each April, for six straight years we come together at Egan’s to commemorate his death and celebrate his life and his work.

To further honor Phil, we use the occasion to raise funds and awareness for causes we deem worthy. For the second consecutive year all donations will go to our state’s farmworkers who are locked in a toxic struggle with agribusiness Sakuma Farms for a fair contract.

This year’s theme is “Phil Made Me Do It!”, featuring a multi-talented group of performers who were inspired by Phil and his tradtion to social activism through music. Each will perform some of their favorite Phil songs followed by examples of original and other songs of change.

On July 2, I joined my friend, Joe Teehan, on his daily progressive radio talk show in Bellingham (KBAI-AM 930) to talk about the upcoming Farmworkers Third Annual March for a Contract, 7/11, Burlington, WA and debut my song, “Ballad of Sakuma Farms”, a narrative of the three-year-old struggle.

The previous day, Sakuma had implemented a new wage formula that they hailed as an increase for the workers and, which, was dutifully trumpeted to the media and legislature as a major increase in worker compensation. This was quickly disproven by the workers who demonstrated it to be an actual decrease.

In addition, Sakuma dispatched the workers into the fields in small staggered groups, isolating the union and non-union folks from each other. The tactic, designed to keep the non-union folks from hearing the union side, fooled no one and all 200 walked off the job in protest.

So, my appearance on Joe’s show the next day provided an opportunity niot only to publicize the march…but to provide a live cell phone update from the scene by Rosalinda Guillen, Executive Director of Community To Community Development (C2C) http://foodjustice.org. Rosalinda is one of my labor and cultural heroes, a remarkable activist, organizer, and communicator.

]]>https://garykanter.com/2015/07/07/the-joe-show/feed/0garykanterTheJoeShowLogoWorker Memorial Dayhttps://garykanter.com/2015/05/01/worker-memorial-day/
https://garykanter.com/2015/05/01/worker-memorial-day/#respondFri, 01 May 2015 23:45:49 +0000http://garykanter.com/?p=907]]>I was honored to perform at the 2015 Workers Memorial Day in Bellingham. Last year’s music provider was the great Anne Feeney. The day is commemorated throughout the United States and several countries throughout the world to remember workers who were killed and injured on the job…or as a result of the job. In the USA, there are approximately 12 work-related deaths each day and nearly 4 million injuries per year.

My labor guru, Mark Lowry, President of the Northwest Washington Central Labor Council, facilitated the event with his usual blend of dignity and intensity.

Ramon Torres, president of FUJ, the state’s farmworkers union, with translation assistance from Rosalinda Guillen, related a story of a berry picker with severe symptoms of pesticide poisoning who was told by his bosses to basically “shut up or be replaced.” He died shortly thereafter.

The names of the remembered were read by two union brothers while a bagpiper played “Amazing Grace.”
RIP